Every month as the moon passes through each of it’s phases, it influences us with the energy. Whether you’re spiritual about it, the moon impacts everything; from crops to bodies of water. It’s completely natural to observe it growing and waning in the sky. How can we really observe these lunar phases in our life? Let’s learn about how others have been doing it.
History of Lunar Gazing
Civilizations have observed the celestial bodies for all of humankind existence. Farmer’s watch it as they plan their crops, and sailors use the stars to navigate in the night sky. The whole space race is enough evidence that we are eager to connect. Let’s talk about each of these phases and their significance.
Farmer’s have used the lunar phases to determine when to plant, wean, castrate, build, fence and harvest plants. The ancient Romans believed that the moon would make the earth more wet and fertile as it grew, and that it withdraws the water as it shrinks.
Sailor’s use the sun, moon and stars to navigate on open waters. They were able to determine longitude and latitude by the angle of the moon and sun in the sky.
8 Moon Phases
Did you know there are 8 phases in the moon cycle? That’s right, over the course of the month, we can identify 8 clear phases. The most popular one is the Full moon, known for it’s powerful and influential energy. You may have heard about the increase in accidents, births, and insomnia. Let’s talk about ALL the phases.
- New Moon
- The New moon is also known as the shadow moon, almost invisible in the sky. This is a great time to set some intentions, and use the Yang energy. This is the moon phase of beginnings. Marking the beginning of the lunar cycle, it is the time during the month that the moon and sun are closest together on the same side of the earth-giving it that shadow effect. This means that the lunar phases are different depending on where you are.
- Crescent Moon
- This is also known as the Waxing Crescent. Waxing indicates that the moon appears to be growing in size. Lean into those intentions and focus on how you can embody those intentions during this phase. It’s important to rest and save your strength for the tension building up to a Full moon.
- First Quarter Moon
- We’re halfway to a Full moon, and everything that comes with it. You should feel the drive. This is also known as Waxing Half Moon, when it is a quarter of the way through it’s orbit.
- Gibbous Moon
- Gibbous means more than half, and this moon is almost Full.
- Full Moon
- This phase is impossible to ignore, because you can feel it. Emergency rooms, birthing centers, and hundreds of sleepless people can testify to the Full moon’s influence.
- Disseminating Moon
- Also known as Waning Gibbous, this phase marks the end of he Full moon cycle. We are more than half way through the cycle, and the moon will continue to shrink.
- Third Quarter Moon
- This phase marks the last fourth of the moon cycle. You really have to be paying attention to tell if it’s waning or waxing at this point.
- Balsamic Moon
- The waning crescent is the last phase in the moon cycle before it returns to the dark, New moon.
Practical Lunar Application
Intention Setting
I learned from Ezzie Spencer about how to use the moon phases to manifest that Lunar Abundance. She uses the energy of each phase to cultivate intentions every cycle.
Moon Water
If you have been on Instagram, you might have heard of Moon water. What is it? It’s not water you collect, rather water you charge with intention. Let’s talk about how we get and uses for moon water.
Where did it come from?
It’s not lunar water, which is the water found on the surface of the moon. This is a practice of harnessing the energy of the lunar rays of light in your own water. All of the historical references to Moon water that I found were related to love spells, but modern mystics have applied it in other practical ways.
Does this sound crazy to you? Good, it’s Lunacy! The magic of the moon has been acknowledged for years and in many cultures. The respect for the light that in the night sky, and all that the Full moon brings. We can all agree that the energy is different with the Full moon filling the sky; emergency room visits, babies being born, the old wives tales are true.
What’s this moon water about?
Moon water is a special mix of water and light. If you work in the elemental realm, that means that you’re making a more powerful water element or ingredient. You can do it during any phase of the moon; New or Full are the most popular phases. The purpose of picking a specific phase correlates to what you’re looking to invoke in your spiritual practice. Each moon cycle occurs during a different month, season and astrological alignment.
How to Make Moon water
What you’ll need:
- A clean and clear container (you want the moon light rays to charge your water up)
- A cover or lid for your container(so nothing can get in)
- A spot in direct moonlight (the water vapor in clouds serve to amplify the light, like when you get a bad burn on an overcast day)
Steps:
- Fill your container with drinkable water, glass is great, but plastic will do
- Cover the container with a lid, because you don’t want anything to get in or contaminate the water
- Place your container in direct or indirect moonlight
- Collect your moon water in the morning, before the sunrise
Uses:
- Moon Rituals
- moon baths
- moon water tea
- moon water facials (my favorite suggestion from my friend, Alison)
- altar cleansing
Sources
- http://www.lunarabundance.com/about/
- https://www.sagegoddess.com/full-moon/make-use-magical-moon-water/
- https://eclecticwitchcraft.com/moon-water-how-to-make-it-history-spells/
- https://www.almanac.com/astronomy/moon/calendar%20
- https://www.almanac.com/content/farming-moon#
- https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/navigation/